Ba’al Teshuvah 101, the online course

Former Aish HaTorah program offers college credits to seekers

By Laura Turetsky

Issue of September 25, 2009/ 7 Tishrei 5770

Back in the day the best way to become a Ba’al Teshuvah was to show up at the Kotel looking lost or like you were searching for something. Not anymore. Why bother schlepping a heavy backpack or sleeping in youth hostels when you can learn about Judaism online?

Jerusalem Online University (www.jerusalemonlineuniversity.com), originally known as AishCafe when it was founded in 2007, offers three interactive Jewish video and audio courses. College credit is available for two of them; cash stipends are also available.

Students are responsible for tests and papers, said Rabbi Raphael Shore, the website’s founder, but “nothing too grueling,” so as to “keep the courses interesting and exciting.”

All three courses, Judaism 101, Israel Inside/Out, and Positive Psychology and Judaism, are open to Jews and non-Jews, students and non-students; the latter two courses are accredited by Touro College.

AishCafe was originally a project of Aish HaTorah, but as the program developed, “I realized that the university could have a much greater impact, and gain greater academic credibility, if it featured more diverse talent — professors and lecturers from all religious and political angles,” Rabbi Shore said.

When it became “clear that this could only be achieved if the university was re-launched as an independent project,” the Aish HaTorah affiliation was jettisoned and the project re-launched as Jerusalem Online University.

To qualify for a cash stipend that, in Rabbi Shore’s words, “is specifically designed to make a natural progression from coursework to activism,” students commit to completing an extra project in conjunction with their respective campus Hillel or campus rabbi. Projects can be anything from organizing a Shabbat dinner to running an Israel activism program. “The idea is to turn inspiration into action,” he explained.

Alternately, students can opt for cash credit to subsidize an organized trip to Israel, such as Birthright or Hasbara Fellowships.

Shore claims JOU has met with significant success. Among previously unaffiliated students who have taken the online courses, he claims that nearly three quarters have developed a relationship with a campus rabbi; almost a third have gone on an educational trip to Israel with their rabbi; thirteen-percent have increased Shabbat observance. JOU also claims to have measured a thirteen-percent increase in the number of participants who said they would only date and marry Jews.

“The whole program in general is geared towards instilling both knowledge as well as pride in Israel and Jewish background,” Rabbi Shore said.